EQ3: What are the consequences of globalisation for development and the environment?

Question 1

What does the development gap refer to?

Answer 1

The development gap refers to the difference between the richest and poorest people. This can be:

• between countries, e.g. in 2015 people in Luxembourg had incomes of $105,000 per year compared to only $220 in South Sudan
• within countries, e.g. in China’s coastal cities per capita incomes are over $10,000 whereas in the rural west they are under $2000.

Question 2

Why do geographers use single measures like life expectancy or GDP per capita?

Answer 2

Geographers use single measures like life expectancy or GDP per capita because they give an easy to use and understand ‘headline’ measure of development

Question 3

What does the Gender Inequality Index (GII) combine to measure gender aspects of development?

Answer 3

The Gender Inequality Index (GII) combines the reproductive health of women, their participation in the workforce and empowerment (women in higher education and politics) to measure gender aspects of development.

Question 4

Why are composite indices usually viewed as a better reflection of development progress?

Answer 4

These indices focus on social development as well as economic development and are usually viewed as a better reflection of development progress.

Question 5

Why has Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) become a popular way of comparing economic development between countries?

Answer 5

Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) GDP per capita has become a popular way of comparing economic development between countries because unlike nominal GDP it takes into account the cost of living within countries.

Question 6

Why can measuring development using environmental indicators such as WHO air pollution levels be a problem?

Answer 6

These tend to be local, i.e. for specific cities, so can’t be used to compare countries.

Question 7

Name a composite index that measures development.

Answer 7

Human Development Index (HDI)

Question 8

What did the 2016 report from Oxfam state?

Answer 8

A 2016 report from Oxfam stated that the wealth of the world’s richest 1% of people is equivalent to the wealth of the other 99%.

Question 9

What does the Gini Coefficient measure?

Answer 9

Within countries income, inequality is measured using the Gini Coefficient with income divided into quintiles (20% intervals) plotted as a Lorenz curve.

Question 10

Why is Haiti the most unequal country?

Answer 10

Haiti is the most unequal country as the richest 20% of people have 65% of the wealth, compared to under 40% in Sweden.

Question 11

How many billionaires were there worldwide in 2016?

Answer 11

There were about 1800 billionaires worldwide in 2016; most have their wealth through ownership of global TNCs.

Question 12

How is the environmental impact of development and globalisation often measured?

Answer 12

Ecological footprints

Question 13

In 2015, what percentage of the UAE’s population was immigrant?

Answer 13

84%

Question 14

In 2015, what percentage of Switzerland’s population was immigrant?

Answer 14

29%

Question 15

In 2015, what percentage of Germany’s population was immigrant?

Answer 15

14%

Question 16

In 2015, what percentage of the USA’s population was immigrant?

Answer 16

14%

Question 17

In 2015, what percentage of the UK’s population was immigrant?

Answer 17

11%

Question 18

What factors have increased the pace of migration?

Answer 18

• Open borders to migration within the EU since 1995.
• FDI, encouraging TNC workers to move overseas.
• Deregulation of some job markets, allowing foreign qualified workers.
• Humanitarian crisis, like the Syrian civil war and war with Islamic State, which have seen large numbers of refugees flee to Europe since 2011.

Question 19

What is meant by the term ‘diaspora’?

Answer 19

A diaspora is the name given to the dispersal of a population overseas.

Question 20

How has migration increased social and political tensions and even led to a rise in extremism?

Answer 20

• The UK Brexit vote in 2016 to leave the EU had the scale and pace of immigration as a key area of debate.
• Anti-immigration political parties have been growing in popularity since 2010.
• In 2014, 51% of Swiss voted in favour of stopping mass immigration in a national referendum.
• Even in the USA, a country of immigrants, the benefits of migration from Mexico and elsewhere have been questioned.

Question 21

How have some countries attempted to limit the impact of globalisation using government policy?

Answer 21

• The internet is banned in North Korea because the Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un does not want his people to have access to ‘western’ ideas.
• In China, the internet was very widely used by 52% of the population in 2016, but it is censored; some searches for politically sensitive topics get no results because the Chinese Communist Party seeks to prevent ‘unhelpful’ discussion.
• Since 2010 the UK has sought to reduce immigration using a points system, but with only limited results because EU immigration cannot be controlled.
• Other countries like Australia also use points-based immigration systems to match immigrants to actual economic needs and job vacancies.
• Trade protectionism is still common.

Question 22

What percentage of China’s population used the internet in 2016?

Answer 22

52%

Question 23

Why do other countries like Australia also used points-based immigration systems?

Answer 23

Other countries like Australia also use points-based immigration systems to match immigrants to actual economic needs and job vacancies.

Question 24

How does one indigenous group, the First Nations of Canada, attempt to preserve its cultural identity?

Answer 24

• Within Indian Reservation territories, bands are largely self-governing, allowing them to make key decisions about their future.
• There are about 100 First Nations and Inuit Cultural Education Centres funded by the Canadian Government to help preserve and develop First Nation cultures and traditions.
• After decades of being taught to be ‘Canadian’ in boarding schools, modern First Nation schools teach native languages and traditions.

Question 25

Give two examples of ethical and environmental concerns that globalisation has led to which are widely held.

Answer 25

• Fears that consumer goods have been made using exploited labour
• Concerns that consumer goods use excessive resources during their production, packaging, transport and use

Question 26

How many litres of water is required to grow the cotton to make the denim fabric of a pair of jeans bought in the UK but made in Bangladesh?

Answer 26

13,000

Question 27

How much income do Bangladeshi’s 3.5 million textile workers earn per month?

Answer 27

£25

Question 28

What has a key response in developed countries been to the social and environmental ethical issues raised by globalisation and globalised consumer products?

Answer 28

Localism

Question 29

Define localism.

Answer 29

Buying local products, trying to trade with other local businesses and building local community movements around sustainability issues

Question 30

What does the FSC on products indicate?

Answer 30

Forest Stewardship Council

Question 31

When were transition towns founded?

Answer 31

2006

Question 32

What does the non-governmental organisation (NGO) ‘Transition Network’ encourage towns to do?

Answer 32

Founded in 2006 the non-governmental organisation (NGO) ‘Transition Network’ encourages towns to grow their own food in community gardens (not import it) and reduce energy used in transport.

Question 33

What have some towns like Totnes, Exeter and Stroud encouraged?

Answer 33

Some towns like Totnes, Exeter and Stroud even have their own local currencies to encourage local trade.

Question 34

What does fairtrade for farmers in developing countries guarantee?

Answer 34

Fairtrade pays farmers of cocoa, cotton, tea and coffee in developing countries a guaranteed price for their produce plus a ‘fair trade premium’ payment. This attempts to reduce the inequalities of global trade.

Question 35

What is the aim of fairtrade?

Answer 35

The aim is to make incomes sustainable for farming families and use some of the additional money to support community facilities like wells, schools and clinics.

Question 36

What are the downsides of fairtrade?

Answer 36

The downsides of fairtrade are that extra income is small, and fair trade products are more expensive for consumers.

Question 37

When were ethical consumption schemes founded?

Answer 37

1993 in Germany

Question 38

What does the NGO FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) use its FSC logo on?

Answer 38

Founded in 1993 in Germany the NGO FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) uses its FSC logo on wood products that are sourced from sustainable forests thus helping consumers ensure that products are not contributing to environmental degradation.

Question 39

What has the FSC been criticised for?

Answer 39

FSC has become well known globally but has been criticised for being too brand-focused.

Question 40

What do local councils in the UK play a role in?

Answer 40

Local councils in the UK play a key role in reducing waste and ecological footprints through recycling and councils’ waste collection services.